Method and system for managing access to media files

ABSTRACT

Access to selected content in different file formats can be managed by conducting, in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of access rights that allow a user to acquire multiple copies of the same selected content in media files having different file formats. An authorization signal is communicated to a content provider or multiple content providers who did not conduct the purchase transaction. The authorization signal contains information that allows the content provider or the multiple content providers to authorize the user to acquire multiple copies of the same selected content in different file formats without requiring the user to conduct multiple transactions. Each copy of the selected content acquired from a content provider is in a media file having a different file format.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/832,090, filed Apr. 26, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The widespread use of the Internet has greatly enhanced the way usersacquire and use electronic media. There are now many different types ofmedia players that allow users to locate, obtain, and play media filesthat contain music, movies, computer programs, pictures, games, andother content. For instance, a user may search for a particular song atthe Apple Music Store, which is found at http://www.applemusic.com, andpurchase rights that allow the user to download a media file containingthe song. Once the user obtains the media file, the user may play thesong on a compatible media player application, such as the iTunes®player by Apple of Cupertino, Calif. Other media player applicationsthat allow users to purchase and play media files include the RealOne™player by RealNetworks, Inc., of Seattle, Wash.; and the Windows MediaPlayer™ by Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash.

While existing systems have enhanced the way users acquire and usemedia, existing systems present some limitations. One limitation iscaused by the fact that specific media player applications are limitedto certain types of file formats. For instance, if a user obtains amedia file in a Windows® media format, e.g., a .WMA file, for use in theWindows Media Player™, the obtained media file may be incompatible withother media players, such as the RealOne™ player or the iTunes® player.Although it is possible for a user to convert an original media filehaving a Windows® media format into a format that is compatible withanother player, such a remedy is not always desirable because theconversion process causes some degradation in the quality of therecording.

The above-described limitation caused by incompatible file formats ismore apparent when existing media players are required to manage rightsto a copyright-protected work contained in a media file. For instance,if a user purchases a copyright-protected audio file from the AppleMusic Store, the user receives the audio file in a particular format,such as Apple's new AAC format. Copyright protection of the contentcontained in the audio file is preserved since the proprietary AACformat cannot be played by other media players. In addition, thecompatible media player application, the iTunes® player, limits thenumber of copies that can be produced from the original media file.Thus, if the user would like to play the purchased song on another mediaplayer application, such as the Windows Media Player™, the user wouldhave to purchase rights to the same song from another provider having anaudio file format that is compatible with the Windows Media Player™.Although it may be possible for the user to convert the AAC file toanother format suitable for another media player, the quality of theconverted audio file would be subject to some degradation. In addition,conversion of an AAC file to another file format may violate one or morecopyrights that apply to the purchased file. As a result of theabove-described limitations, consumers of copyright-protected mediafiles may not have the ability to utilize more than one media playerapplication for certain media files. In addition, users may be forced topurchase multiple copies of a song if they wish to utilize more than onemedia player application.

Accordingly, the prior art is lacking an effective method and system forefficient distribution and management of media files. In addition, theprior art is lacking an effective method and system for managing accessrights to copyrighted works contained in media files.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features ofthe claimed subject matter nor is it intended to be used as an aid indetermining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

System and methods are provided for managing access rights to mediafiles communicated over a network. In accordance with at least oneembodiment, a system method are configured to manage user access rightsto works, also referred to herein as “content,” that are contained inmedia files and typically subject to copyright. Instead of providingaccess to a single media file having a particular format, purchasers ofcontent are authorized to acquire a number of different media fileshaving different file formats for the same content without requiring thepurchaser to pay multiple times for the copies of the content. Byproviding controlled access to content stored in multiple file formats,users may readily acquire media files that can be played on a number ofdesired media player applications. Many other benefits, such as animproved consumer pricing arrangement, may also result from suchmanagement of access rights for content.

In at least one embodiment, a user may purchase rights to access mediafiles of selected content that may include, for example, a song, album,movie, etc. Once the user purchases rights to access media files of theselected content, information that identifies the user and informationthat describes the selected content is communicated to one or morecontent providers. The information may be in the form of a token thatsignifies the user's right to access the selected content. By receivingthis information, each content provider can verify that the user isauthorized to access a number of files that contain the selectedcontent. The user may then directly contact any one of the contentproviders to acquire media files that contain the selected content. Auser's right to access the media files with the selected content may becommunicated to the content providers at the time of the user's purchasetransaction or at a later time, e.g., when a user contacts a particularcontent provider and requests access to the media files. In otherembodiments, a content provider may allow a user to access media filesas a result of an authorization signal sent in response to anauthorization request. Access to a media file may include, but is notlimited to, downloading an actual media file containing the selectedcontent, accessing a non-recordable data stream containing the work,accessing a recordable data stream containing the work, etc.

As a result, the user's access to the selected content is not limited toa single proprietary file format merely because one content provider islimited to such a file format. Embodiments described herein allow usersto obtain the selected content in more than one file format by accessingdifferent media files, possibly from different content providers,containing the content. Among many other benefits, access to differentcontent providers allows users to readily access a number of differentformats of media files containing the selected content without requiringusers to pay multiple times for copies of the same content. Thus, usersdo not incur an increased cost simply because they desire to play theselected content on a number of different media players.

Thus, according to an embodiment, provided herein is acomputer-implemented method for managing access to selected content thatis stored in electronic media files having different file formats. Themethod is performed under control of instructions that are executed byone or more computer processors in a computing system and includesconducting, in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of accessrights that allow a user to acquire multiple copies of the same selectedcontent in media files having different file formats. The method furtherincludes communicating an authorization signal to a content providerserver of a content provider who did not conduct the purchasetransaction. The authorization signal contains information that allowsthe content provider to authorize the user to acquire, from the contentprovider server, multiple copies of the same selected content withoutrequiring the user to conduct multiple transactions to purchase accessrights for the multiple copies of the selected content. Each copy of theselected content acquired from the content provider server is in a mediafile having a different file format.

Prior to communicating the authorization signal, an authorizationrequest may be received. The authorization signal may be communicated tothe content provider server in response to receiving the authorizationrequest. The authorization request may identify the user and theselected content.

In at least one embodiment, the authorization request is received from acontent provider. In an alternative embodiment, the authorizationrequest is received from a media player application executing on aclient computer associated with the user. In regard to the latter, themethod may further comprise identifying the content provider as havingthe selected content in a media file format that is compatible with themedia player application and communicating the authorization signal tothe identified content provider.

Also described herein is a tangible computer-readable medium havingcomputer-executable instructions stored thereon for managing access toselected content stored in different file formats. The instructions, ifexecuted, cause a computing device to conduct, in a single purchasetransaction, a user purchase of access rights that allow a user toacquire multiple copies of the same selected content in media fileshaving different file formats. The instructions further cause thecomputing device to communicate an authorization signal to a contentprovider server of a content provider who did not conduct the purchasetransaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information thatallows the content provider to authorize the user to acquire, from thecontent provider server, multiple copies of the same selected contentwithout requiring the user to conduct multiple transactions to purchaseaccess rights for the multiple copies of the selected content. Each copyof the selected content acquired from the content provider server is ina media file having a different file format.

The instructions, if executed, may further cause the computing device tostore transaction information associated with the user purchase in amemory; receive an authorization request from the content provider; and,in response to receiving the authorization request, retrieve thetransaction information from the memory; determine whether the user isauthorized to access the selected content based on the transactioninformation; and communicate the authorization signal to the contentprovider server.

The authorization request may contain data identifying the user and theinstructions, if executed, may cause the computing device to use thedata in the authorization request when determining whether the user isauthorized to access the selected content.

Further described herein is another computer-implemented method formanaging access to selected content that is stored in electronic mediafiles having different file formats. The method includes conducting, ina single purchase transaction, a user purchase of access rights thatallow a user to acquire multiple copies of the same selected content inmedia files having different file formats. The method further includescommunicating an authorization signal to multiple content providerservers of multiple content providers who did not conduct the purchasetransaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information thatallows each of the multiple content providers to authorize the user toacquire, from at least one of the content provider servers, a copy of atleast one media file containing the same selected content withoutrequiring the user to conduct multiple transactions to purchase accessrights for each copy of the selected content. Each copy of the selectedcontent acquired from a content provider server is in a media filehaving a different file format.

Prior to communicating the authorization signal, an authorizationrequest may be received and the authorization signal is communicated tothe multiple content provider servers in response to receiving theauthorization request.

The authorization request may identify the user and the selectedcontent. In at least one embodiment, the authorization request isreceived from a content provider. Alternatively, the authorizationrequest is received from a media player application executing on aclient computer associated with the user. The authorization signal maybe communicated to at least one content provider server storing theselected content in a media file format that is compatible with themedia player application.

According to yet another embodiment, a computer system for managingaccess to selected content stored in electronic media files havingdifferent file formats comprises a transaction information database anda merchant server operated by a merchant in communication with thetransaction information database. The merchant server is configured toconduct, in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of accessrights that allow a user to acquire more than one copy of the sameselected content from more than one content provider, each acquired copyof the selected content being in a different file format, such that theuser is not required to conduct multiple transactions to purchase accessrights for each of the copies of the selected content in the differentfile formats. The merchant server is further configured to communicatean authorization signal to a plurality of content provider serversoperated by content providers who did not conduct the purchasetransaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information thatallows each of the content providers to authorize the user to acquire,from at least one of the content provider servers, a copy of at leastone media file containing the same selected content, wherein each copyof the selected content acquired from a content provider server is in amedia file having a different file format. The content providers areeach different than the merchant and the merchant does not operate theplurality of content provider servers.

The merchant server may be further configured to receive anauthorization request for user access to a media file containing theselected content; evaluate transaction information in the transactioninformation database to determine whether the user is authorized toaccess the media file containing the selected content; and communicatethe authorization signal to the plurality of content provider servers inresponse to determining that the user is authorized to access the mediafile.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a number of computers connected to anetwork, including a client computer and a number of servers forallowing a number of users to communicate via client-server softwareapplications;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of oneserver depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of arights management routine formed in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3B is a sequence diagram showing the path of data communicated inthe rights management routine shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram illustrating an exemplary Web page formedin accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the path of data communicated in arights management routine formed in accordance with a separatealternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description provides an enabling description of a system,method and computer-readable medium for managing access to media filescommunicated over a network such as the Internet. The followingdescription first provides an overview of a computing environment inwhich the present invention may be implemented. Following that, adescription of a rights management routine is described and shown inaccompanying flow diagrams. The illustrative examples described hereinare not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise forms disclosed. Similarly, any process steps described hereinmay be interchangeable with other steps or several combinations of stepsin order to achieve the same result.

FIG. 1 provides an exemplary overview of a computing environment inwhich the invention may be implemented. The environment includes atleast one client computer 106, a merchant server 103, and a plurality ofcontent provider servers 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D, interconnected by acommunications network 101. The client computer 106 may be associatedwith a user 100, such as a consumer seeking to purchase rights to accessone or more media files containing copyright-protected content. Themerchant server 103 may be associated with a merchant 105, such as anon-line retailer offering to sell access rights to media content, i.e.,copyright-protected works including music, movies, etc. The contentprovider servers 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D may be associated withrespective content providers 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D, each of whichmay be a company that distributes media files containingcopyright-protected works.

Each content provider may store media files containingcopyright-protected works in content databases 196A, 196B, 196C, and196D and distribute those media files in specific formats. For instance,if the first content provider server provider 102A is Microsoft, themedia files stored in its respective content database 196A may includemedia files in Microsoft's WMA format. Similarly, if the second contentprovider 102B is RealNetworks, the media files stored in its respectivecontent database 196B may include media files in RealNetworks' RA or RMformat.

As described in more detail below, the user 100 may use the clientcomputer 106 to purchase rights to access and/or obtain selected contentand other products listed in a product database 199 maintained by themerchant 105. Purchase transaction information is stored in atransaction information database 198E of the merchant server 103. Thetransaction information, or a portion or representation thereof, is alsocommunicated to one or more of the content providers 102A, 102B, 102C,and 102D and stored in a number of respective transaction informationdatabases 198A, 198B, 198C, and 198D. The user may then contact therespective content provider(s) 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D to obtainaccess to the media files containing the selected content. Using theinformation stored in the transaction information databases 198A, 198B,198C, and 198D, each content provider can determine if the user 100 hasrights to access particular media files stored in the content databases196A, 196B, 196C, and 196D.

The client computer and the servers, depicted in FIG. 1, are configuredto electronically communicate via the network 101. The network 101 maybe a LAN or a larger network, such as a wide area network (WAN) or theInternet. The computing environment shown in FIG. 1 may be configured tocommunicate media files, Web page documents, commands, and data betweenthe client computer and the servers. As will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art and others, the computer systems shown in FIG. 1provide a simplified example of one suitable environment forimplementing the present invention. The present invention is not limitedto this particular form of implementation.

When software formed in accordance with this invention is implemented incomputer systems of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, the inventionprovides a way for users to purchase, download, and play media files.For instance, a user can purchase rights to access media files ofselected content, which may include a song, album, movie, etc. Once theuser purchases rights to access media files containing the selectedcontent, information that identifies the user and the selected contentis communicated to a plurality of content providers. By using theinformation that identifies the user and the selected content, eachcontent provider can readily determine if the user is authorized toaccess the media files that contain the selected content. The user maydirectly contact any one of the service providers to access the mediafiles that contain the selected content.

As a result of the above-described process, the user's access to theselected content is not limited to a single file format, even if anindividual content provider distributes the selected content in aproprietary file format. If the user desires an alternative file formatfor use with another media player application, the user simply contactsanother service provider to access a media file in the desired format.Among many other benefits, access to different content providers allowsusers to readily access a number of different formats of media filescontaining the selected content without requiring the user to paymultiple times for multiple copies of the same work. Thus, the user doesnot incur an increased cost simply because he or she desires to play,view, or execute the selected content on a number of different mediaplayers.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary computer architecture of a server, such asthe merchant server 103, suitable for use in the environment shown inFIG. 1. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the server 103 mayinclude many more (or fewer) components than those shown in FIG. 2. Itis not necessary, however, that all of these generally conventionalcomponents be shown in order to disclose an enabling embodiment of thepresent invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the server 103 is connected tothe network 101 (FIG. 1) via a network interface 160. Those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that the network interface 160 includesthe necessary hardware and software to allow the server 103 tocommunicate with other computing devices connected to the network by theuse of one or more suitable communication protocols, such as TCP/IPprotocol.

The server 103 also includes a processing unit 162, a video displayadapter 164, and memory 166, all communicatively connected together andto the network interface 160 by a bus 168. The memory 166 generallycomprises RAM, ROM, and/or permanent memory, such as a hard disk drive,tape drive, optical drive, floppy disk drive, or combination thereof.The memory 166 stores an operating system 172 for controlling theoperation of the server 103. As is known to those of ordinary skill inthe art, the operating system may be formed by a general-purpose serveroperating system such as a Microsoft server operating system, UNIX orLINUX™. A binary input/output system (“BIOS”) 188 for controlling thelow-level operation of server 103 is also stored in the memory 166.

The memory 166 additionally stores the program code and data forproviding network services that allow users to request, receive, andview information and data files stored at the server 103. Accordingly,the memory 166 may store a Web server application 178, which may beprovided by any one of a number of commercially available softwarepackages. The Web server application 178 comprises computer executableinstructions that, when executed by the processing unit 162, generateconfigurable markup documents, such as the sample Web page shown in FIG.4, which is described in more detail below. The Web server application178 may be configured to communicate with a commercially availabledatabase application 176 and a control application 174 to facilitatevarious functions of the present invention, as described below.

The server 103 may further include an input/output interface 190connected to the bus 168 for communicating with external devices, suchas a mouse, keyboard, scanner, or other input devices not shown in FIG.2. Likewise, the server 103 may include additional mass storagefacilities, such as CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive 192 and large capacity massmemory 194, such as a hard disk drive, tape drive, optical disk drive,or combination thereof, also connected to the bus 168. The server 103may utilize the mass memory 194 to store several databases. In oneembodiment, the mass memory 194 of the server 103 contains a transactioninformation database 198E, which stores information that identifiesdifferent users. The transaction information database 198E also storesinformation that identifies content, such as a specific songs, albums,movies, etc., purchased by each user. As described in more detail below,information stored in the transaction information database 198E of theserver 103 is communicated for storage in other transaction informationdatabases 198A, 198B, 198C, and 198D.

The content provider servers 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D shown in FIG. 1may take the form of any suitable computer architecture, such as thecomputer architecture illustrated in FIG. 2, if appropriate. The contentprovider servers 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D may each include a networkinterface for communicating with other computing devices via the network101. The network interface may be configured for use with any wired orwireless network connection, and may be used with any suitablecommunication protocol, such as the TCP/IP protocol. In general, each ofthe content provider servers 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D includes aprocessing unit, a display, and a memory unit. The memory unit storesthe program code necessary for operating a Web site and for providingaccess to media files stored in a memory device. In the particularembodiment described thus far, the memory unit of each content providerserver 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D may include the content databases196A, 196B, 196C, and 196D for storing the media files, and thetransaction information databases 198A, 198B, 198C, and 198D for storingtransaction and user information received from the server 103.

The client computer 106 shown in FIG. 1 may take the form of any one ofa number of different computer products. For example, the clientcomputer 106 may include aspects of the computer architectureillustrated in FIG. 2, if appropriate. The client computer 106 mayinclude a network interface for providing communication with the network101. The network interface may be configured for use with any wired orwireless network connection and may be used with any suitablecommunication protocol, such as the TCP/IP protocol. In general, theclient computer 106 includes a processing unit, a display, and a memoryunit. The memory unit of the client computer 106 stores the program codenecessary for operating the client computer 106. The memory unit of theclient computer 106 may also store an application for browsing Webpages, such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer® Web browser.

The above-described computer systems store software programs that, whenexecuted, implement aspects of the present invention. For illustrativepurposes, the following describes an embodiment of the present inventionthat allows a user to access media files containing purchased content.In this example, the user purchases rights from a merchant. In turn, themerchant communicates information to one or more content providersenabling them to independently authorize access of at least one mediafile containing the selected content to the user. The user then accessesmedia files containing the selected content from one or more contentproviders. Although the illustrative example described herein depicts aWeb-based implementation, those of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that the scope of the invention may include otherimplementations regardless of the configuration, size, or form of thecomputing system.

Referring now to the flow diagram of FIG. 3A, the sequence diagram ofFIG. 3B, and the pictorial diagram of FIG. 4, one exemplary embodimentof a media rights management routine 300 will now be described. Themedia rights management routine 300 begins at block 301 where theroutine communicates a transaction Web page that enables a user topurchase rights to access media content. Generally described, thetransaction Web page facilitates the communication of media informationfrom a server 103 to a client 106, which allows the user to identifymedia content to be purchased. The transaction Web page also allows theuser to select desired content and transact a purchase of the selectedcontent with a merchant. It should be understood that a purchasetransaction in the context of the present invention is not limited totransactions involving monetary transfer, but may involve any form ofinteraction in which access rights to selected media content are grantedto a user.

For illustrative purposes, a sample transaction Web page 400 for use inthe process of block 301 is shown in FIG. 4. The sample transaction Webpage 400 comprises a first text field 440, which provides an overview ofthe content that is offered for sale. In this example, the first textfield 440 generally describes the media content as “Music by Blur.” Thesample transaction Web page 400 also comprises a second text field 443,which provides a detailed description of the media content. In thisexample, the second text field 443 includes a list of songs. The list ofsongs describes each song's track name, artist, album, and genre.Although this illustration shows one example where specific types ofinformation are used to describe the content offered for sale, othertypes of information suitable for describing the content falls withinthe scope of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate that the information describing the media content maycome from a database associated with the merchant, such as the productdatabase 199 shown in FIG. 1.

The sample transaction Web page 400 also comprises control features thatallow users to select and purchase rights to access selected content. Inthis example, the control features include a set of selection buttons442 that allows users to select desired content and a control button 441that allows users to complete a purchase transaction. User actuation ofthe control button 441 causes transaction information, which may includeone or more items such as a purchase order describing the user and theselected content, to be communicated from the client 106 to the server103. In one embodiment, the transaction information is arranged as aUniform Resource Locator (URL) that the client 106 generates andtransmits to the server 103. In other embodiments, the transactioninformation may be arranged and transmitted differently. As will beappreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, a control application174 of the merchant server 103 in FIG. 2 may operate in conjunction withexisting electronic commerce software applications to implement thecontrol features that complete the purchase transaction between the userand the merchant.

The transaction Web page 400 may also include other features. Forinstance, the transaction Web page may be configured with program codethat allows users to conduct a keyword search for desired content. Thetransaction Web page may also be configured with other electroniccommerce-related features, such as a login feature and a shopping cartfeature. In one embodiment, a standard local login feature may be used(e.g., in which a user enters a user name and password that is checkedagainst a local database of authorized users). Alternatively, a loginfeature of the transaction Web page may utilize one or morecommercially-available universal login services, such as Microsoft's.Net Passport® service.

Returning to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the rights management routine 300continues at block 303 where the client 106 communicates the transactioninformation to the server 103. In one embodiment, the transactioninformation identifies the selected content purchased by the user. Forexample, if the selected content includes a song, the transactioninformation may include general media information, such as the song'stitle, artist, album, genre, etc. Specifically referring to the exampleshown in FIG. 4, the selected content is the first song on the list,which is entitled “Tender.” Thus, in this example, the transactioninformation may include: TRACK NAME=Tender; ARTIST=Blur; ALBUM=13;GENRE=ROCK/POP. Alternatively or in addition to the general mediainformation, the transaction information may include a unique identifierassociated with the selected content, such as a Universal Product Code(UPC) or the like.

In addition to information that identifies the selected content, thetransaction information may also identify the user. In such anembodiment, a proprietary or public user identification code, such asone produced by Microsoft's .Net Passport® service, may be used. As willbe appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the process of block303 may be implemented by any known communication method, such as thoseemploying URLs to communicate transaction information from a client to aserver. Although this description illustrates one specific example of aWeb-based implementation of a purchase transaction, those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that implementations of the presentinvention may include other suitable systems configured to transact apurchase and sale between a user and a merchant.

Continuing at block 305, the rights management routine 300 stores thetransaction information in a database associated with the merchant, suchas the transaction information database 198E of FIG. 1. In oneembodiment, the transaction information may be stored in a plurality ofdatabase records, where each database record identifies the user and theselected content purchased by the user. As will be appreciated by one ofordinary skill in the art, existing database programs may be used forimplementing the process of block 305.

As shown in block 307, the rights management routine 300 communicatestransaction information to a number of content provider servers. Morespecifically, transaction information is communicated from the merchantserver 103 to one or more of the content provider servers 104A, 104B,104C, and 104D. The transaction information communicated in block 307includes a sufficient amount of information to allow each contentprovider server 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D to determine if the user hasobtained valid rights to access the selected content (e.g., bypurchasing the selected content) that may be contained in media filesstored in a local database of each content provider, such as the contentdatabases 196A, 196B, 196C, and 196D. In one embodiment, the merchantserver 103 may communicate transaction information that identifies theuser and the selected content purchased by the user. The transactioninformation may be in the form of a token that uniquely identifies theuser in the system, but includes measures to protect the privacy of theuser. The process of block 307 may utilize any suitable method forcommunicating data between two computers, which may involve secured orencrypted data communications. The transaction information may becommunicated to content providers at the time the user obtained validrights to access the selected content (e.g., at the time of purchase) orat a later time (e.g., when the user contacts a particular contentprovider and requests access to the selected content).

In an example where a user has previously established one or moreaccounts with content providers 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D, the user maylog into the merchant server 103 and instruct the server 103 toassociate those content providers with the user's purchase of contentfrom the merchant 105. In one possible embodiment, the user mayassociate content providers in the server 103 by providing the merchant105 the user's account name and password for each of the desired contentproviders. This information is communicated to the server 103 in asecure data communications link. In another embodiment, the user maysimply provide an account name (or other account identification) for thedesired content provider(s) that the server 103 may reference whencommunicating transaction information to the content providers. In yetanother embodiment, user identification and authentication provided by aglobally-recognized login service (such as Microsoft's .Net Passport®service) may be used. The user may further log into the server 103, asdesired, to add or delete a content provider from their account with themerchant 105.

When the merchant 105 notifies the content providers listed in theuser's account of the user's right to access media files containingparticular content, the merchant server 103 sends a message (preferablyvia a secure data communications link) that contains the user's accountname and password or some agreed representation thereof to theparticular content provider, along with information identifying thecontent that the user is authorized to access. Using standard datacommunications protocols, each of the content providers receiving thismessage from the merchant 105 can recognize indicia in the transmissionindicating the merchant server 103 as the source of the message. Thisindicia provides additional security confirming the authenticity of themerchant's message. As described below, each of the content providersreceives the transaction information (or other authorization signal)from the merchant 105 and honors it by permitting the user to access thecontent in the content provider's server.

Alternatively, the merchant 105 may provide an application programminginterface (API) that the content providers 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102Dmay use to enable their customers to log into the merchant server 103from the content provider's Web site or client media player. Preferably,the login provided by the API would be a secure, Web-based serviceprovided by the merchant server 103 so that communication of the user'sidentification and password with the merchant server 103 is hidden fromthe content providers. Once a user is logged into the merchant server103, and information provided regarding the particular content provider102A, 102B, 102C, or 102D, the merchant server 103 returns a token tothe content provider which the merchant 105 and the content provideragree to represent the particular user. From then on, if the userpurchases selected content from the merchant 105, the merchant server103 communicates the user's unique token, along with an indication ofthe purchased content.

The transaction information may be communicated to each content providerserver in response to an event or on a regular timed basis. Forinstance, the transaction information collected by the merchant server103 may be periodically transmitted to each content provider server inresponse to the receipt of a control signal generated by a databasesynchronization program, timing program, etc. In an alternativeembodiment, instead of communicating transaction information, themerchant 105 may communicate an authorization signal to one or morecontent provider servers allowing access to media files in the contentprovider's servers. Details of such an alternative embodiment aredescribed below in regard to FIG. 5.

After the processing of block 307, the rights management routine 300continues at block 309 where each content provider server 104A, 104B,104C, and 104D stores the received transaction information. In theprocess of block 309, the received transaction information may be storedin a number of local databases associated with each content provider,such as the transaction information databases 198A, 198B, 198C, and 198Dshown in FIG. 1. As a result of the process of block 309, thetransaction information databases 198A, 198B, 198C, and 198D of eachrespective content provider 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D, may have all orless than all of the media and user information stored in thetransaction information database 198E of the merchant. Storage of thetransaction information enables each content provider server toindependently determine if individual users of the system have accessrights to its stored content. After the processing of blocks 301-309,the user may directly contact the content providers to access mediafiles containing the user's selected content.

Next, as shown in block 311, the user communicates a request to access amedia file containing the selected content. In the process of block 311,the access request is sent from the client 106 to a server of anindividual content provider, such as a server 104A, 104B, 104C, or 104D.A user may communicate an access request by using acommercially-available software application, such as a Web browserapplication or a media player application. The user may send the accessrequest to a particular content provider that provides media files in adesired media format. For example, as shown in the sample of sequencediagram of FIG. 3B, if a user desires to play his or her purchased mediacontent on an iTunes® media player, the user may send the access requestto the third content provider server 104C to access a media file havinga compatible media format, such as Apple's AAC format. Those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that a media player, such as theiTunes® media player, may be configured with program instructions thatallow a user to log into a content provider and communicate an accessrequest for selected content. Media players may also be configured towork with a universal login service, such as Microsoft's .Net Passport®service, to communicate an access request to a content provider. In oneembodiment, the access request may contain information that identifiesthe user and the content requested by the user. Since the third contentprovider 104C has received transaction information from the merchantserver 103, the third content provider 104C can readily determine if theuser has obtained valid rights to access one or more media filescontaining the content described in the access request.

In response to receiving the access request, the routine continues atblock 313 where the content provider server authorizes the accessrequest. In the present example, the content provider server 104Cdetermines if the access request contains information that correspondswith relevant transaction information stored in the transactioninformation database 198C. If the relevant transaction informationindicates that the user identified in the access request has obtainedrights to access the content identified in the access request, theaccess request is authorized.

Once the access request has been authorized, the rights managementroutine 300 continues to block 315 where the content provider server (inthis example, the third content provider server 104C) provides access toa media file containing the selected content. In accordance with thepresent invention, access to a media file may include, but is notlimited to, downloading an actual media file containing the selectedcontent, accessing a non-recordable data stream containing the work,accessing a recordable data stream containing the work, etc. The formatof the media file should be a file format that is compatible with themedia player desired by the user. In this part of the process, the mediafile may be delivered by one of a number of known methods fordownloading or streaming a media file. In addition, the media file maybe communicated by the use of any known file transfer protocol.Additional disclosure of methods for communicating media and productinformation between client and server computers is included in U.S. Pat.No. 7,117,167, titled “SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIA FORCONTROLLING DELIVERY OF DIGITAL PRODUCTS TO USERS,” filed Mar. 22, 2001,and issued Oct. 3, 2006, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporatedby reference.

Also shown in the subsequent process blocks 317-321 of FIGS. 3A and 3B,additional media files stored at other content providers can be accessedby the user. Thus, even after the user has accessed a first media filecontaining the selected content, the user may send an additional accessrequest to another content provider to access other media filescontaining the selected content. This type of request may be invoked ifthe user desires a media file having a different format. For example,with reference to the example shown in FIG. 3B, the user may contact thefirst content provider 104A if the user desires media files that arecompatible with a Microsoft media player; the second content provider104B if the user desires media files that are compatible with a Realmedia player; or the fourth content provider 104D if the user desiresmedia files in more generic formats.

As shown in process block 317 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, a subsequent accessrequest may be communicated from the client 106 to one or more contentprovider servers 104A, 104B, 104C, or 104D. Similar to the first accessrequest (block 311) communicated to provider server 103A, the subsequentaccess request 317 may be invoked by a commercially available softwareapplication, such as a Web browser application or a media playerapplication. As shown in process blocks 319 and 321, the contentprovider servers respond to the receipt of the subsequent access requestby authorizing the request and providing access to one or more mediafiles containing the requested content. Process blocks 319 and 321 maybe executed in a manner similar to the above-described processes ofblocks 313 and 315. Upon the completion of the process of block 321, therights management routine 300 terminates.

FIG. 5 describes a separate alternative embodiment of a rightsmanagement routine. As described above, a merchant server can manageaccess to media files in other ways. FIG. 5 illustrates one alternativeembodiment of a rights management routine 300′, where an authorizationsignal for allowing access to media files is communicated to anindividual content provider server.

In this alternative embodiment, the process of transacting a purchase ofaccess rights to selected content may be carried out in a manner asdescribed above. Thus, the communication of media information (301) andtransaction information (303) are carried out in a manner similar to theabove-described processes of blocks 301 and 303 shown in FIGS. 3A and3B. After the purchase transaction is complete, the user associated withthe client computer 106 may issue an access request to any one of thecontent providers. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the client computer106 communicates an access request (350) to the third content providerserver 104C. An access request (350) may include information thatidentifies the user and the selected content.

In response to receiving the access request, the third content providerserver 104C communicates an authorization request (352) to the merchantserver 103. In this embodiment, the authorization request (352) sendssufficient information so that the merchant server 103 can determine ifthe user is authorized to access the content identified in the accessrequest (350). For instance, the authorization request (352) may includeinformation that identifies the user and the selected content.

In response to receiving the authorization request (352), as shown inblock 353, the merchant server 103 determines if the user is authorizedto access the content identified in the access request (350). Asdescribed above, the merchant server 103 may analyze the receivedtransaction information (303) to determine if the user has obtainedrights to receive access to the selected content. If the merchant server103 determines that the user may access the selected content, themerchant server 103 sends an authorization signal notifying therequesting content provider that the user may access one or more mediafiles containing the content. The authorization signal may include anyinformation that allows any one of the content provider servers todetermine that the requesting user has access to the selected content.For instance, the authorization signal may include information thatidentifies the user and the selected content. Alternatively, theauthorization signal may include information such as a reference to theaccess request (350) sent by the content provider, etc. As shown incommunication line 354, the merchant server 103 communicates anauthorization signal to the third content provider server 104C.

In yet another alternative, an authorization request may be receiveddirectly from a client computer associated with the user that isexecuting a media player application. An authorization signal is thencommunicated to a content provider in the user's account known toprovide media files having a file format compatible with the user'smedia player application.

In yet another embodiment, the authorization request (352) may onlycontain sufficient information to uniquely identify the user. When themerchant server 103 receives an authorization request (352) from acontent provider, it returns an authorization signal (354) thatidentifies all of the new content that the user has been authorized toreceive since the last authorization request made by the contentprovider. In this embodiment, it is not necessary that the merchantserver 103 know the specific content the user is requesting from thecontent provider. Rather, the merchant server 103 simply keeps a recordof authorization requests it receives from content providers withrespect to the user and ensures that the content provider is updated inregard to the content that the user is authorized to access. In somerespects, this embodiment may be envisioned as a type of “pull” systemin which the content provider initiates a date transfer from themerchant when the user contacts the content provider seeking access toselected content. The merchant server 103 responds with a list ofcontent that has been newly authorized since the last update provided tothe content provider.

In response to receiving the authorization signal (354), the contentprovider server provides access to a media file containing the requestedcontent. The merchant server 103 provides a central control for useraccess credentials for each content provider server. The user may sendan access request to each content provider server to receive a number ofdifferent media files containing the requested content and the contentprovider servers communicate with the merchant server 103 to ensure thatuser is authorized to receive the requested content.

Other optional implementations of the invention become apparent from theforegoing described embodiments. For example, purchases of selectedcontent from individual content providers 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D mayprovide a basis for transmission of a broadcast message to the othercontent providers of the user's right to access media files containingthe selected content from the other content providers. In one particularimplementation, a content provider completing a sales transaction forselected content with the user may communicate information regarding theuser (e.g., in the form of an account name/password or a previouslyestablished token, as described earlier) to the merchant 105, along withan indication of the purchased content, which the merchant 105 may thenuse to send a message to the other content providers communicating theuser's right to access the purchased content.

As illustrated by the above-described embodiments, the present inventionallows purchasers of copyright-protected content to receive differentfiles having different file formats of the purchased content withoutrequiring the purchaser to pay multiple times for the separate copies ofthe content. By providing controlled access to content stored inmultiple file formats, the present invention allows users to readilypurchase and receive media files that may be played on different desiredmedia player applications. Many other benefits, such as an improvedconsumer pricing arrangement, may also result from such management ofaccess rights of copyrighted content.

For example, one preferred embodiment of the invention enables users topurchase selected content in a transaction and allows the users toaccess media files containing the selected content from multiple contentproviders without having to pay multiple times to access the mediafiles. Pricing arrangements for the selected content should beestablished such that the merchant, the content providers, and the ownerof the copyrighted content are fairly treated. Many compensation modelsmay be devised for use with the invention. The following examples areprovided for illustrative purposes, and do not limit the invention.

In one compensation model, the merchant and the copyright owner dividethe payment provided by the user and the content providers agree todeliver the selected content upon user request without further charge tothe user with the hope of acquiring new customers. In anothercompensation model, the merchant, the copyright owner, and the contentproviders each receive a portion of the payment made by the user for theselected content. In yet another compensation model, the user maydesignate the content providers from whom the user desires to obtain theselected content. There is no charge to the user for delivery of contentfrom a first content provider, but the user may be charged incrementalfees for designating additional content providers. In this model, themerchant and the copyright owner may divide the base purchase chargepaid by the user with the content providers dividing the additionalincremental fees charged to the user for access to two or more contentproviders.

In still another compensation model, the merchant may receive paymentfrom a user for selected content, of which a portion is shared by themerchant and the copyright owner, and the remaining portion ismaintained in an “escrow” account that is paid to the content providersthat actually deliver the selected content to the user. The particularformulas used to determine the portions received by the merchant, thecopyright owner, and the content providers may vary according to theparticular implementation of the invention and the agreementsestablished between the parties.

While several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed above, it will be appreciated that various changes can be madetherein without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope ofthe invention should be determined from the following claims andequivalents thereto.

1. A computer-implemented method for managing access to selected content stored in electronic media files having different file formats, comprising: under control of instructions that are executed by one or more computer processors in a computing system: conducting, in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of access rights that allow a user to acquire multiple copies of the same selected content in media files having different file formats; and communicating an authorization signal to a content provider server of a content provider who did not conduct the purchase transaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information that allows the content provider to authorize the user to acquire, from the content provider server, multiple copies of the same selected content without requiring the user to conduct multiple transactions to purchase access rights for the multiple copies of the selected content, wherein each copy of the selected content acquired from the content provider server is in a media file having a different file format.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an authorization request prior to communicating the authorization signal, and communicating the authorization signal to the content provider server in response to receiving the authorization request.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authorization request identifies the user and the selected content.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the authorization request is received from the content provider.
 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the authorization request is received from a media player application executing on a client computer associated with the user.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying the content provider as having the selected content in a media file format that is compatible with the media player application, and communicating the authorization signal to the identified content provider.
 7. A tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for managing access to selected content stored in different file formats, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to: conduct in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of access rights that allow a user to acquire multiple copies of the same selected content in media files having different file formats; and communicate an authorization signal to a content provider server of a content provider who did not conduct the purchase transaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information that allows the content provider to authorize the user to acquire, from the content provider server, multiple copies of the same selected content without requiring the user to conduct multiple transactions to purchase access rights for the multiple copies of the selected content, wherein each copy of the selected content acquired from the content provider server is in a media file having a different file format.
 8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions, if executed, further cause the computing device to: store transaction information associated with the user purchase in a memory; receive an authorization request from the content provider; and in response to receiving the authorization request: retrieve the transaction information from the memory; based on the transaction information, determine whether the user is authorized to access the selected content; and communicate the authorization signal to the content provider server.
 9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the authorization request contains data identifying the user, and wherein the instructions cause the computing device to use the data in the authorization request when determining whether the user is authorized to access the selected content.
 10. A computer-implemented method for managing access to selected content stored in electronic media files having different file formats, comprising: under control of instructions that are executed by one or more computer processors in a computing system: conducting, in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of access rights that allow a user to acquire multiple copies of the same selected content in media files having different file formats; and communicating an authorization signal to multiple content provider servers of multiple content providers who did not conduct the purchase transaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information that allows each of the multiple content providers to authorize the user to acquire, from at least one of the content provider servers, a copy of at least one media file containing the same selected content without requiring the user to conduct multiple transactions to purchase access rights for each copy of the selected content, wherein each copy of the selected content acquired from a content provider server is in a media file having a different file format.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an authorization request prior to communicating the authorization signal, and communicating the authorization signal to the multiple content provider servers in response to receiving the authorization request.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the authorization request identifies the user and the selected content.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the authorization request is received from the content provider.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the authorization request is received from a media player application executing on a client computer associated with the user.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the authorization signal is communicated to at least one content provider server storing the selected content in a media file format that is compatible with the media player application.
 16. A computer system for managing access to selected content stored in electronic media files having different file formats, comprising: a transaction information database; and a merchant server operated by a merchant in communication with the transaction information database, wherein the merchant server is configured to: conduct, in a single purchase transaction, a user purchase of access rights that allow a user to acquire more than one copy of the same selected content from more than one content provider, each acquired copy of the selected content being in a different file format such that the user is not required to conduct multiple transactions to purchase access rights for each of the copies of the selected content in the different file formats; and communicate an authorization signal to a plurality of content provider servers operated by content providers who did not conduct the purchase transaction, wherein the authorization signal contains information that allows each of the content providers to authorize the user to acquire, from at least one of the content provider servers, a copy of at least one media file containing the same selected content, wherein each copy of the selected content acquired from a content provider server is in a media file having a different file format, and wherein the content providers are each different from the merchant and the merchant does not operate the plurality of content provider servers.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the merchant server is further configured to: receive an authorization request for user access to a media file containing the selected content; evaluate transaction information in the transaction information database to determine whether the user is authorized to access the media file containing the selected content; and communicate the authorization signal to the plurality of content provider servers in response to determining that the user is authorized to access the media file.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the authorization request is received from the content provider.
 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the authorization request is received from a media player application executing on a client computer associated with the user.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the authorization signal is communicated to a content provider server storing the selected content in a media file format that is compatible with the media player application. 